This War's Lullaby
by The Eyes
Summary: A girl trapped in the middle of a magical war and begining to doubt all those around her. Even herself. She must find a way out or be trapped forever in a raging war of wits, love and fear.
1. A Suprise Meeting

A/N: Ok so this is my second attempt at a story. To those of you who are reading Return to Me...I'm not gonna lie to you...I'm like...writers blocking at the current moment. But I will try to have something up soon. I do hope you enjoy the new one. As always I do enjoy reviews and rants. Its not perfect...goodness no. I think I'm probably gonna rewrite it later on. But for now I think its acceptable.

See ya on the flip side.

MOI

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Follow the Leader

By: MOI

_Disclaimer: I don't own any fairy tales and if you think I do your truly in need of some education._

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_"Its hard to believe in something when you can't believe in yourself."_

_-MOI_

She had always been faster than him, never quicker, just faster. Always the first done with a test, always the winner in a track meet, and always the fastest swimmer. He never seemed to mind it, not really, she was his best friend and who better to be beaten by. Now as they ran through the back woods of their small town, the tiny droplets of rain spattering over their faces, he knew she would win. She was about to do her famous move, the look back, she would look back at her opponet, then take off at full speed. She was legendary for it and when you saw it, you knew that there was no way to win. There! The look back had been brief and sweet, but he saw the glimmer of laughter in her eyes, the look of utter defiance...but there seemed to be something else masked behind those ocean blue wonders. As she took off like a bullet in the dark she quickly rounded the bend to the small lake that lay hidden behind it.

As he rounded the corner to meet up with her, he saw that she was already in the water swimming. Once more she was faster than him. As she floated there just cooling down after the run, her eyes closed to the world, he just watched her. For the past few days she had seemed to have a lot on her mind and now as school let out, there seemed to be more weight added to her than lifted.

In the background of his weary thoughts and behind the image that floated before him he could hear dogs barking in pain and he saw her sit up in the water. As she treaded there he could tell she heard something. "Whats up?" He asked almost certain something was wrong.

"Can't you hear that? God it hurts so bad..." She was already swimming to the bank, about halfway there she felt something tug at her leg before she was pulled under by something that had such a tight grip. Her scream became just a gurgle underneath the water as she went deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the lake, where light dare not shine its rays.

"Avery? AVERY!" He dove in the water after her, his clothes helping him to go down faster, Just before he dove he took a big breath and followed the air bubbles that must of been Avery's lost screams. As he got close to her he could see something pulling her down, but he couldn't see the bottom, he never remembered the lake being so deep or dark. His lungs began to burn as he got so close he felt her hand slip through his and her face, full of fear, fade from his view into the unknown depths of what lay before him. He needed to save her but he could no longer hold his breath and he knew he too would become a victim of the lake if he didn't quickly surface. Pushing himself up as fast as he could he felt a lingering feeling of dread, that he would never see her again, but he had to try. He knew he had one last chance before she died of drowning. Just one.

She could feel the tight grip of a slippery hand around her ankle and the powerful push of whatever it was drag her further away from the safety of the surface. As she tried to look down at whatever it was she found she could not see an inch in front of her, and with this new found fear she tried to find anything that she could cling desperately to, anything that could save her from what fate held in store for her. As she found a rock, she began to feel dizzy, lightheaded and her chest screamed for what the water lacked. Air. As she held fast to the rock, her captor was forced to turn around and he came face to face with her. She could feel his face all too clearly in front of her own. The water stung her eyes like salt and as a bright glowing fish passed by the two of them she saw who he was. The last of her air escaped her in one last attempt at a scream before she found herself passed out, and drowning in the dread that no one would find her and save her from the horror that tried to keep her away.

Suddenly, arms were around her and a face so close to her ear whisper in a language she seemed only to be able to remember as if from a distant dream that she could barely grasp. _Return to me_. Then suddenly she was rising quickly the salt that had crusted over her was gone and replaced by the cool fresh water of the lake. Once more arms were around her, and she could feel the force as they pushed her above the water.

She was drowning in the thoughts of the horror that attacked her. Those eyes. So dark, like a black hole, light was just gone in them and there seemed to be no life from them. As souless as the black water around them that tore at her heart and soul threatening over her with a secret she found just out of reach and unable to understand.

Laying on the beach, he was trying to bring her back from where ever she seemed to be anchored away. He would not let her die today, no, she would live. As he put his lips against hers once more breathing in that air that had once refused to enter her lungs from down below, she shot up and began to spit out all the water that had previously held the thoughts that swum around in her head and as she emptied of the water, she found so too were the thoughts leaving her. But those words haunted her, _Return to me_, so human, but said but something so not.

She felt weak but as she looked around she found she was safe once more and brought herself to tightly hug her compainion with all that she had in her. "Never leave me again Eric. Please, never again." As she hugged him there that day, a red mark formed around her ankle and would remain there forever as a constant reminder of the things that fate had in store for her and what she herself was destined to become.

Never again would her life be as she thought it. And now, as that mark formed, things were coming back alive that had been dormant for as long as history itself.

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A/N: Ok thats it. For now. You have no idea how much more is left to come. Well review 'cause...um...the spirit compells you. .


	2. Midnight Escape

A/N: Ok, so here is chapter two. I was suddenly inspired during this week of torenchal downpour. I hope you like it. Its still alittle slow but proabably next chapter it will start with more dialogue and lots more plot-i-ness. . Oh yeah...about the name change. The one ended up not fitting with the story anymore and thi sone will. Promise.

See ya on the flip side.

-MOI

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**This War's Lullaby**

**By: MOI**

**Chapter 2: Midnight Escape**

**Disclaimer: I actually do own this story...but any fairy tales mentioned...well thats obvious...I don't.**

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**_"I am haunted by the footsteps you leave behind for me to follow"  
MOI_**

_It was raining once more in the forest and the harder it rained the harder it was for her to get to the safety of his arms. In front of her stood a hooded figure, that seemed to have shadows congregate around him in such a way that it was almost menacing. Heading the opposite way as she began to struggle with walking until she finally collapsed. Her hair matted to her face and she collapsed on the ground, tears mingling with the rain.  
She called his name but no one would have been able to hear over this, and she knew it was the end for her. Alone and heart broken and she had no one to comfort her as she died in a darkness that would consume most people. She lay down in the surrounding mud and felt herself sink a little bit before she just closed her eyes, giving up and letting whatever fate gave her come._

_What felt like an eternity later she still laid there, the world forgetting about her existence and slowly just fade away into the Earth. As she felt herself begin to disappear she felt a pair of hands lift her up and bring her close to whoever came to her side. Slowly opening her eyes, a brown red puddle lay around her and she felt his hand go to her wound. They both knew she would not survive but, he still wouldn't let her stay alone. As Eric pulled her closer, keeping her warm from the outside world he began to whisper things he's always wished he had said to her, but never had. How she was faster, smarter, how she was amazing and always surprised him._

_She surprised him though by pulling him close and looking over at him she whispered in his ear a secret he needed to know. A secret that she had found out too late in the game to use herself. But with it he could protect himself from the evils of things around him and keep himself safer than she had been able to._

_"There's something I have to tell you..." Barely as a whisper it escaped her lips._

_"Shh..."_

_"The reason people die..." A pause while she coughed and he pulled her closer, her lips gently touching his ear and her cheek leaning against his own._

_"...Is because someone has to lose."_

_And with that she passed away, to mourned by one and be missed by none._

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A light silvery string seemed to cling to the trees and hang down among the dappled saplings still trying to find their voice. Through the cluster of leaves a ray of light shone through and allowed the briefest hint of what was to come. A pair of bright eyes shone through the foliage and the sounds of chirping and life ceased in an instant, everything waiting for the sign that it was okay. That it was okay to breathe, to live, to exist.

As a piercing howl was sent through the forest other things chimed in for a second before disappearing back into the obscurity in which they lived their life. As the howl died away into the silence of the time, a beast began to move around and look for the one that awakened him. Look for the keeper.

Look for his next meal.

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Avery woke up with a start and grabbed her side before looking around her room to see if she was still here. She was covered in a cold sweat and immediately grabbed the phone and dials Eric's number, knowing it by heart. As it rang and she got his voicemail she cursed him for still being asleep at...checking her clock she saw it was three in the morning. No wonder. He slept as hard as a rock and it was pretty late... or early? She wasn't sure on that one.

Lying back down in her bed she knew she wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon so she looked out the window haunted by the man from her dreams. She wondered if it was a warning or of what was to come. She also knew that the only person that would be able to answer her this would be the monster in the lake. Looking around she got up and put on some jeans and a sweatshirt, she also put on sneakers and brought a flashlight. As she began to walk out of the house the phone rang. She just walked out.

It was Eric.

By the shed was a thing of worms her father used to fish with and she snatched that up considering maybe he was some form of fish or...at least she hoped he was. Pulling her arms closer to her sides as she moved deeper into the woods, the trail she had run so many times and had known so well was almost covered over by growth. Something was making the bushes creep up and she heard a rustling in the tree behind her, looking around she put the light from her flashlight like a ray between whatever was there and herself, as though that would help.

As a little squirrel came out of its hiding place among the leaves she let out the deep breath of fear that had clung to her lungs like a disease. Pulling her hood up she came up to the lake and stood a safe distance from the dark water that rose and backed away with the little waves that rustled. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to contact him, only that he would come. Looking around she threw a couple worms in the lake, her voice just a mere crack of high-pitched squeal almost, from fear or what else she wasn't sure.

In the middle of the lake she saw a bubbling and felt herself shrink away from whatever it was, not that she was afraid or anything. Course not. It was just night, dark, a monster coming out and she was completely positive she was being followed by the boogeyman. Yeah. Nothing to fear.

As the bubbling went away she saw something over by the rocks at the other side of the lake, slowly walking around the edge, sure to keep what little distance between them she could and her flashlight like a sword she approached the monster.

Staying about three feet from him she shone her light on him, even though there was enough moonlight around to illuminate the whole area. Keeping her flashlight on him, it, the monster she asked tentatively, still barely able to squeeze out words. "I want answers."

It tilted its head, sea green hair moved over to shade his black eyes that so haunted her thoughts. He seemed to look like a normal boy...almost, but upon closer inspection she could see fins upon his arms and a brief glimpse of scales around his waist leading down into a tail. A shiver made its way up her spine and she knew it was a mistake coming up here.

She held out the small can of worms to him, before deciding that her too close to him before sliding them over to him, over the rock. He took them, looking at them curiously before dumping them into the water around him where fish of beautiful colors swam. She couldn't help herself but be enraptured by their colors and leaned too close for one second and she could smell salt and saw he was right next to her. Screaming she jumped back, not liking how close that had been.

"To what?" He asked holding his ears a little bit at her scream and he had what seemed to be a smirk on his thin lips. She didn't like that she was talking to a fish in the middle of the night, by herself, and suddenly very vulnerable to everything around her.

"I...uh...want to know why you captured me..." She bravely put out, before sitting down an extra foot away from him for safety. Too close and he'll get you again, maybe even succeed in killing you, she couldn't help but feel a shill race around her as the wind howled through the trees.

Suddenly he was next to her, sitting, on his...tail.

"Because you're the next chosen one." He replied, but it was too late.

She had already fainted and the glimmer of black eyes rose from the bushes.

Something was lurking, waiting for the kill.


End file.
